Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 University of Sulaimania, College of Eng. Civil Eng. Department, Sulaimani, KR, Iraq

2 Civil Engineering Department , College of Engineering , Komar University of Science and Technology , Sulaimania , KR , Iraq

3 Civil Engineering Department , University of Technology - Geomatics Engineering Division

Abstract

Renovation of the naturally existing area for ecotourist and investments that attracting site-visitors, picnickers and tourists for Iraq, Kurdistan Region, Sulaimani need to promote a reliable decision-making technique so as to raise the level of the tourist-based economy. In this study, the most available public well known and recognized tourist and picnic area by the people and associated governmental directories were studied and assessed for their tourism reliability and capacity. The study area of this research covered tourist area and they were forty-three (43) locations and all the related data collected, analyzed and categorized as main and sub-main criterions. The analytical hierarchy process (AHP) has been used for assessment of that area which was ranked accordingly from the highest to lowest capacity and efficiency’s reliability of tourism. The opinion of experts from tourism agencies, related tourism officials and people from the local area also taken into consideration and translated and used in the AHP assessment tool. Weight factors of the main and sub-main criterions were founded and analyses for their inconsistency. The main criterions and their pairwise weights as per AHP assessment were climate, available green area, root distance, easy of transportation, essential requirements, entertainment tools, provided security and healthcare, respectively. 

Graphical Abstract

Highlights

  • Ecotourism land and picnic area ranking 
  • AHP analysis technics
  • Multicriteria decision making  

Keywords

Main Subjects

[1] X. Wei, Tourism Management System Based on GIS. In Journal of Physics: Conference Series , 1881, 2021,032005 IOP Publishing. https//doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/1881/3/032005.
[2] K. Wickramasinghe, Ecotourism as a tool for sustainable forest management in Sri Lanka. Journal of Environmental Professionals Sri Lanka ,1 (2013) 16-29. http://doi.org/10.4038/jepsl.v1i2.5145
[3] D. D. G. L. Dahanayaka, H. D .Wimalasena, & V. Pahalawattaarachchi, Potential of the conservation oriented mangrove based eco-tourism; A case study of Kadolkele Mangrove Reserve, Negombo, Sri Lanka. Journal of the National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency, 44 (2015) 31-44.
[4] N. Aloysius, S. Madhushanka, & C. Chandrika,  Ecotourism Potential in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka. World News of Natural Sciences, 42 (2022) 94-106.
[5] Cristina, Definition of eco-tourism. Journal of Sustainable Ecotourism Management 45 (2004) 123-128.
[6] F. Nelson, The evolution and impacts of community-based eco-tourism in northernTanzania. London. International Institute for Environment and Development 131 (2004) 1-40.
[7] Baromey, N. Ecotourism as a tool for sustainable rural community development and natural resources management in the Tonle Sap Biosphere Reserve. Kassel University Press GmbH, 2008.
[8] M.E. Wood, the Ecotourism Society-An International NGO Committed to Sustainable Development. Tourism Recreation Research 24 (1999) 19-23. https://doi.org/10.1080/02508281.1999.11014889
[9] Z. H. Mohd, & U. Ujang,   Integrating multiple criteria evaluation and GIS in eco-tourism: a review. The International Archives of Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences, 42 (2016) 351 https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLII-4-W1-351-2016
[10] T. L. Saaty, Relative measurement and its generalization in decision making why pairwise comparisons are central in mathematics for the measurement of intangible factors the analytic hierarchy/network process. RACSAM-Revista de la Real Academia de Ciencias Exactas, Fisicas y Naturales. Serie A. Matematicas, 102 (2008) 251-318.
[11] O. Mobaraki, M. Abdollahzadeh, & Z. Kamelifar, Site suitability evaluation for eco-tourism using GIS and AHP: A case study of Isfahan Townships, Iran. Management Science Letters, 4 (2014) 1893-1898. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03191825
[12] S. Navale, R. Suryawanshi, & V. Bhagat, A Morphological Study for Identified the Potential ofGanpatipule Coastal Tourism in Western Maharashtra (India): Analytical Hierarchy Process. Applied Ecology and Environmental Sciences, 9 (2021) 322-335. https://doi.org/10.12691/aees-9-3-2
[13] Gunen, M. A. A comprehensive framework based on GIS-AHP for the installation of solar PV farms in Kahramanmaraş, Turkey. Renewable Energy, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2021.06.078
[14] L.Albraheem, & L. Alabdulkarim, Geospatial Analysis of Solar Energy in Riyadh Using a GIS-AHP-Based Technique. ISPRS Int. J. Geo-Inf. 10 (2021) 291. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijgi10050291
[15] B. Maaiah, M. Al-Badarneh, & A. Al-Shorman, Mapping potential nature based tourism in Jordan using AHP, GIS and remote sensing. Journal of Ecotourism, (2021)1-21. doi:%20https://doi.org/10.1080/14724049.2021.1968879
[16] S. Mansour, T. Al-Awhadi, & S. Al-Hatrushi, Geospatial based multi-criteria analysis for eco-tourism land suitability using GIS & AHP: a case study of Masirah Island, Oman. Journal of Ecotourism, 19 (2020) 148-167. https://doi.org/10.1080/14724049.2019.1663202
[17] Z. Parvar, B. Heshmat Nia, & K. Shayesteh,  Site Suitability Evaluation for Ecotourism Using GIS & AHP: A Case Study of Hamedan Township. J. Environ. Sci. Technol., 21 (2019) 227-241. doi.org /10.22034/JEST.2019.22883.3190
[18] E. Eftekhari, & M. Mahdavi, Land suitability assessment using ANP in a GIS environment for Tourism Development Site (Case study: Lavasan-e Kuchak Rural District, Tehran province, Iran). Journal of Tourism Hospitality Research, 8 (2019) 5-17.
[19] J. R. Adewumi, O. J. Ejeh, K. H. Lasisi, & F. O. Ajibade, A GIS–AHP-based approach in siting MSW landfills in Lokoja, Nigeria. SN Applied Sciences, 1 (2019) 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42452-019-1500-6
[20] I. Gašparović, & M. Gašparović, Determining optimal solar power plant locations based on remote sensing and GIS methods: A case study from Croatia. Remote Sensing, 11 (2019) 1481. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs11121481
[21] N. Harun, & N. Samat, GIS-based multi-criteria evaluation approach in planning tourism development sites in environmentally sensitive areas. In SHS Web of Conferences, EDP Sciences, 23, 2016, 02001. https://doi.org/10.1051/shsconf/20162302001
[22] A. Mahdavi, M. Niknejad, & O. Karami, A fuzzy multi-criteria decision method for eco-tourism development locating. Caspian Journal of Environmental Sciences, 13 (2021) 221-236.
[23] O. S. Abomeh, & O. B. Nuga,  Utilisation of GIS technology for tourism management in Victoria Island Lagos. European scientific journal, 9 (2013).
[24] K. Bunruamkaew, & Y. Murayam, Site suitability evaluation for eco-tourism using GIS & AHP: A case study of Surat Thani province, Thailand. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 21 (2011) 269-278. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2011.07.024
[25] T. L. Saaty, & M. Sodenkamp, Making decisions in hierarchic and network systems. International Journal of Applied Decision Sciences, 1 (2008) 24-79.
[26] H.Zhang, & Q. Yang, Rural tourism spatial distribution based on multi-criteria decision analysis and GIS. In Geoinformatics 2008 and Joint Conference on GIS and Built Environment: The Built Environment and Its Dynamics, International Society for Optics and Photonics, 7144, 2008, 714425. https://doi.org/10.1117/12.812825
[27] Saaty, T. L. Theory and applications of the analytic network process: decision making with benefits, opportunities, costs, and risks. RWS publications, 2005.
[28] R. Handfield, S. V. Walton, R. Sroufe, & S. A. Melnyk, Applying environmental criteria to supplier assessment: A study in the application of the Analytical Hierarchy Process. European journal of operational research, 141 (2002) 70-87. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0377-2217 (01)00261-2
[29] R. K. Singh, H. R. Murty, S. K. Gupta, & A. K. Dikshit, Development of composite sustainability performance index for steel industry. Ecological Indicators, 7 (2007) 565-588. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2006.06.004
[30] Saaty, T. Decision making with dependence and feedback: The analytic network process. RWS Publications.1996.
[31] K. Teknomo, Analytic hierarchy process (AHP) tutorial. Revoledu. com, 6 (2006) 1-20.
[32] M. Uyan, MSW landfill site selection by combining AHP with GIS for Konya, Turkey. Environmental earth sciences, 71 (2014) 1629-1639. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-013-2567-9
[33] Saaty, T.L. The analytic hierarchy process: Planning, priority setting. Resour. Alloc. 1980.
[34] J. Sólnes, Environmental quality indexing of large industrial development alternatives using AHP. Environ. Impact Assess. Rev, 23 (2003) 283–303. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0195-9255(03)00004-0.
[35] T. L. Saaty, & M. Sodenkamp, Making decisions in hierarchic and network systems. International Journal of Applied Decision Sciences, 1 (2008) 24-79. doi.org /10.1504/IJADS.2008.017952.
[36] J. A. Alonso, & M. T. Lamata, Consistency in the analytic hierarchy process: a new approach. International journal of uncertainty, fuzziness and knowledge-based systems, 14 (2006) 445-459. https://doi.org/10.1142/S0218488506004114